Daughter of a Hanyou
by AisaShigara
Summary: Maru is a fox hanyou currently on the run from her true father, the Demon Lord of the North. She was raised by Lord Inu no Taisho and is a very strong warrior but despite her age and background she still has much learn about herself, the world, and Sesshomaru. As she continues defeat her enemies she is confronted by many problems and dangers but will she live to see the future.


Totosai watched the girl out of the corner of his eye as he worked with the last of the demon bones and fangs the girl had brought to him to be worked into weapons. She was currently making a multitude of arrows, she'd already filled several quivers with well-made arrows, and was currently working on her tenth quiver. It wasn't unusual for the white haired female to show up unannounced with an endless pile of demon fangs and bone, actually it was a monthly occurrence. Mo-Mo mooed signaling for the demon to turn back to his work for the sword was nearly finished.

They'd been working on the pile for a week now and finishing with this last katana would end it all. She stood and walked toward the large pile of weapons stacked on top of a large scroll, she leaned the quiver full of one hundred arrows against the bottom of the pile, her open blue haori pooling around her thin figure. She stood, her head snapping toward the entrance of the cave, her fox ears and tail standing up straight, she was alert and on edge with the scent of another demon wafting through the air of the cave. Her crystal blue eyes narrowed at the silhouette before turning back to ready the weapons to be sealed in the scroll.

"Lord Sesshōmaru, what brings you here?" Totosai greeted the Demon Lord of the West as he handed the finished sword to the fair skinned hanyou who stood next to him. She sheathed the sword, never laying eyes on the demon lord, she simply ignored him and sealed the sword along with the other weapons within the scroll, rolling it up and sealing it.

"Tenseiga has been damaged" the demon lord stated unsheathing the great sword.

"Ah, it shouldn't take long to fix if you are willing to give up a fang" Totosai told the other demon as he was given the sword of the late Inu no Taisho, "Maru, be a good girl and go get the pliers."

The hanyou nodded her head, her waist length white hair flowing elegantly around her, "I'll be glad to pull it out also" she murmured as she turned to go search for the tool, glaring at the yokai, a smirk on her face as she went.

"Shall I put you in your place, Maru, you've seem to have forgotten it" Sesshōmaru threatened the girl.

"I don't believe you'd do anything to me, after all, Lord Inu no Taisho would probably haunt you for it" she stated handing Totosai the pliers, baring her fangs at the yokai before grabbing the large scroll, which leaned against the wall of the volcanic cave and left.

"Seems she's stressed" Totosai stated after the kitsune hanyou had left.

"Stressed" Sesshōmaru muttered as the elder yokai tended to the fire in front of him.

"Seems the Demon Lord of the North, Inari, has been sending more and more men to retrieve her. It is sad really, Lord Inari never looked for her before until he heard of her loyalty to your father. You two got along so well when you were children, but you've grown distant now" Totosai stated.

"She is a very strong hanyou though I'll never understand why Father took in a kitsune hanyou even if she was strong or on her own, one less hanyou would have done this world well" he stated opening his mouth for Totosai to pull out one of his fangs.

"She is quite different from most hanyou, I believe she could even overpower you at her best, Sesshōmaru. She is not one to be taken lightly or underestimated, I'd thought you learned that during your many battles. If she is not strong enough to overpower another she'll outwit them, she is very sly and cunning" the yokai blacksmith stated as he began to work on Tenseiga.

"She is not that great, for she is only a hanyou" Sesshōmaru said looking to the mouth of the cave where the fox half-breed had once stood. Despite his hatred of the hanyou, he could not deny her strength, intelligence, grace, and elegance. If not for her hanyou characteristics she'd easily be mistaken for a demon. Sesshōmaru had never heard of the beautiful kitsune ever being defeated in battle and rarely did a blemish grace her fair, smooth skin. He couldn't help but wonder what the hanyou was really like past her rough demeanor.

* * *

**Maru **

* * *

Sunset was quickly approaching, the night of the full moon upon me, I hurried to prepare the cave I'd be staying in. It was tucked away in the valley where Totosai's volcanic mountain met a neighboring mountain beside the clear waters of a lake, the forest surrounding it thick and lush. I had a gut feeling that my real father, Lord Inari of the Northern Lands, would be sending hunters to track me down and capture me at my weakest moment, when I was human under the full moon. I set up the barrier quickly putting in enough magic for it to hold up against attacks from weaker demons but wouldn't withstand an attack from someone such as Sesshōmaru or InuYasha. I wouldn't sleep tonight, it was too nerve wracking and unbearable to be so vulnerable, I'd never be capable of relaxing enough to enter the dream world. I unrolled the scroll and summoned a katana, the sword I'd be relying on tonight. I felt a slight breeze blow through the cave, it was quite chilly. It was early spring and the air was still slightly frigid. I pulled my haori closer to my body and tied it properly. I looked around making sure everything was in place before starting a fire and sitting down against the cave wall.

As soon as I had become comfortable, my sword and sheath in hand, I leaned against the wall of the cave ready to watch the sunset, however, I caught the most terrifying of scents. I didn't let it be shown, as I snarled and growled baring my fangs at the yokai who revealed himself at the mouth of the cave.

"Are you here to try and kill me while I'm at my weakest, Sesshōmaru, I knew you to be low but I'd thought you to be better than that?" I snarled at the demon lord, I didn't want him near here even if he was not here to harm me, his stench would attract much attention and that was something I didn't need.

"So you think so lowly of me, I'd never attack you while you are a human that is too disgraceful, to attack another at their weakest, it shows only cowardice, silly girl" he told me before sitting down at the mouth of the cave facing toward the forest surrounding it.

"You've never given me reason to think otherwise, what are you doing there?" I asked him the edge in my voice fading slightly. He did not reply, he only sat there.

I thought about his actions for a moment and the thought that he was here to watch over me came to mind. I shook such wild accusations away and watched as the sun set over the horizon, a dark shadow covering the land. Soon all was dark, I looked down at my long hair as it fell around me, it's once pure white color now black as night. I knew my crystal blue eyes were now brown, I hated this. I did not wish to be neither demon nor human, I only wished to be a hanyou, a perfect mixture of the two. I looked in Sesshōmaru's direction, for I felt a pair of eyes on me. It was indeed him, I knew exactly why he was staring.

"This is the first time you've seen me like this, correct?" I looked down at the rocky floor, playing with the soft blue material of my hakamas.

"Yes."

I nodded though he couldn't see me any longer, we sat in silence for a while before, "Get some sleep" his commanding voice broke the delicate silence. I looked to him, he hadn't turned to face me.

"I can't."

He seemed to understand that for he said nothing else, I stared at the fire trying my hardest to listen for the slightest sound, I couldn't hear the stream off in the distance any longer. The night seemed to drag by, but no hunter ever appeared, not even a lowly demon so much as passed by. Soon enough the sun began to rise over the horizon, I was glad to see it, lying down on the floor my eyelids heavy from having not slept in the past week. I looked at Sesshōmaru, it didn't seem like he'd be going anywhere soon. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, finally able to relax with my demonic powers once again coursing through my small frame.

* * *

I awoke around noon later that day, Sesshōmaru was in the same place I had left him. I stood and stretched before I gathered my things and let the barrier down. This caught Sesshōmaru's attention, he stood as I exited the cave, my scroll on my back and the katana from last night at my waist.

"Thank you" I told him before heading off into the forest toward a country road not far off in the distance.

I soon came to this road, it was empty at the moment, for very few humans ever went near a forest in fear of demons attacking them. The road was on the edge of a cliff and below lay farms and their fields. I enjoyed seeing the serene vista as I continued my journey to a nearby village to hopefully get some supplies. I heard the wheels of a cart clacking and banging on the rocky road not far behind me, it was most likely a farmer, for the tune he whistled was happy and energetic. He'd catch up with me soon, if I was lucky he might tell me how much farther the village was or even let me ride on his cart. That is if he was the type to trust a hanyou.

A few minutes passed and sure enough the cart came rolling around the bend an elder human farmer steering it along. I looked back at him before stopping, he seemed surprised to see me but he showed no fear.

"Are you heading to the village, missy?" he asked me pulling his cart to a stop next to me.

"Yes, how much farther is it?" I asked him.

"Not much farther, miss, around this bend you'll be able to see our small village. I can give you a ride if you wish. We have a hanyou who lives in our village also, Kana, she is half kitsune like you. Her father also lives there, he protects our village, you may have heard of Shippo-Sama before" he offered, explaining to me his strange friendliness toward a hanyou like myself.

"Yes, I've known Shippo for a long time. He once traveled with a hanyou I raised, I'm sure you have heard much of Inuyasha from Shippo" I told him as I sat on the back of the cart.

"You raised Inuyasha, I hadn't thought you to be that old, miss. Yes, Shippo-Sama tells us many tales of his time with Inuyasha-Sama and Kagome-Sama. Maybe he has told us of you, what might your name be, ma'am?" he asked me as he continued forward.

"Maru" I told him as I watched the country side flow by us as we continued down the rocky road.

"Maru, yes, Shippo has mentioned you. He calls you "Kitsune no Taisho", in his tales you often are the one who is challenged by Inuyasha. It's hard to believe that you raised him" he commented as we came around the bend and laid eyes on the tiny village below.

"I had to leave him not too long after his mother died, I was more of a danger to him than I was a guardian. He was very upset with me about it, he finally forgave me not too long before he defeated Naraku" I explained as I listened to the wind blowing around us.

"I see, it must have been hard to separate from him even though it was for his own good" he commented as we came around the bend and the tiny village came into sight.

"Yeah, it was" I told him as a light breeze blew our way bringing along an unwelcomed scent, "Shit" I muttered sitting up and jumping off the cart.

"Maru-Sama, what is wrong?" the farmer asked me.

"Get out of here, it's dangerous" I told him drawing my sword just in time to meet with the sword of a fox demon, a spy sent by my father. His attack scared the ox pulling the cart into running away, taking the farmer along with him to safety, I watched out of the corner of my eye as they ran making sure they were far enough away before pushing the demon back.

"Dirty tricks won't get you far with me, I take it the messenger I sent back last time didn't catch Inari's attention" I stated and he chuckled.

"Dirty tricks, huh?" he laughed, "If I'd used dirty tricks I would have gone after you last night when you were human but, Inari-Sama doesn't wish for us to crush your pride too much so I was told to take you the morning after when you are at your weakest. Quite the curse, being so weak after your powers return" he said chuckling, mocking me.

"Is that so, I'm afraid I'll be crushing your pride more than you will mine" I told him.

"Sorry, Hime-Sama, but I am the strongest soldier in Inari-Sama's army" he told me.

"The strongest, huh? Maybe he'll give up after I defeat you" I commented.

"Inari-Sama will never stop pursuing you, Hime-Sama, that's why I'll end it for you and bring you to him so you can finally rest" he said before coming at me his sword low to strike upwards.

I prepared myself and dodged when he went to strike. I knew I stood no chance against him in the state I was in, so out smarting him was the only chance I had. He came at me with an overhead cut and I once again barely dodged and managed a minor hit on him. While he groaned for a few seconds I ran into the woods to either lose him or find a way to outsmart him.

It didn't take him long to catch up, I turned to block his strike but only managed to push him away enough so the cut wasn't as deep, "You know, if you just surrendered I wouldn't have to injure, Maru-Hime" he said calling my name in an almost endearing tone.

"Fuck you, I wasn't wanted until Inari heard I was under the care of Inu no Taisho-Sama" I yelled at him, confused and pissed with the demon. I swung missing and receiving a kick in the side. Realizing my disadvantage once again and calming down I jumped up into the tree branches and tried to lose him. Being extremely slow in my current state and significantly injured he once again cornered me. He landed another deep blow to my shoulder and side causing me to fall out of the tree.

"Damn" I muttered as I coughed up blood as I laid on the ground. He jumped down in front of me as I used my sword to stand.

"Do you still want to keep up this meaningless fight, Hime-Sama?" he asked coming toward me.

"I'll keep fighting until I'm dead, so why don't you give up" I told him smirking as I wiped the blood from my mouth as I leaned on my sword.

"Is that so?" he asked smiling at me before pushing me against a tree and pushing on the cut across my chest.

I screamed out in pain before biting my lip so as not to give him the satisfaction, "You know, Hime-Sama, I'm from noble blood, a daiyokai, Inari-Sama has promised your hand to me, a loyal servant. We'd have such strong children, don't you agree? Our daughters, they'd be beautiful like you, and our sons handsome and strong" he told me pulling his hand away from the wound and caressing my face. I spat on him before kicking him in the groin causing him to drop. I scurried away grabbing my katana and running while he wallowed in pain on the ground.

I made it to a clearing when he caught up to me. He was pissed and charged at me in rage, we engaged in a sword dance, I managed to land a few hits while dodging all of his strikes. He swung down with a hard over head cut knocking my katana from my hand.

"It's over, Hime-Sama, now let's go. Inari-Sama is waiting" he told me putting his sword down, no longer seeing me as a threat. He stepped toward me, I managed to summon a small katana.

I let out a battle cry as I stabbed him in the chest, I was panting hard from my injuries and the previous battle, but that no longer mattered to me as I saw I had succeeded with my attack. He was wide eyed, in shock from the attack, he fell to his knees, pulling me down with him. I withdrew the katana and fell the rest of the way to my knees also trying to catch my breath. As I leaned forward panting, he grabbed at the wound and chuckled.

"You are as they say, very powerful, even in your weakened state you can still defeat a daiyokai such as myself just with your knowledge of battle and observations and conclusions made on your opponents behavior and past" he chuckled again, "I lied earlier, I'm not Inari's strongest but you were promised to me, that is why I came. Somehow I fell for you without ever knowing you. I..." he groaned in pain letting out a few pants before continuing, "I wanted to capture you, make you mine. I was naive for thinking I'd catch such a great warrior as you. I guess as my final wish I'll allow you to kill me and go on as you are, if that is what makes you happy" he said grabbing my hand.

"Don't tell your father, but I'd fight for you over him any day" he smiled at me, a charming smile, it made me feel almost bad for stabbing him, "However, I'm a greedy man, Hime-Sama" he pulled me to him, pulling his mask down, and bit my neck.

I let out a cry of pain and went to stab him again but he jumped away, "I'll leave you with that till next time, Maru-Hime" he said before leaving.

"You bastard, come back here!" I yelled holding my bleeding neck. I growled in frustration before standing and grabbing my katana from the ground to use as a make shift walking stick. I headed toward a water fall to the west of the clearing to clean my wounds, keeping a keen eye for demons who might be drawn by the scent of blood.

A few kilometers away from the waterfall, I caught Sesshōmaru's scent, "What do you want?" I asked him stopping as he approached from behind.

He didn't reply, I could feel his eyes looking at my wounded body, "Go away" I told him before continuing on my way. He stood there for a minute before pining me to a tree with Bakusaiga, through my shoulder instead of my clothing.

"Ah, shit! What the hell are you doing? Is this what you do to an injured person, bastard" I yelled at him grabbing the blade and trying to remove it without any success, leaving behind a wounded hand.

"Only to the rude, stubborn ones" he stated before grabbing the collar of my haori and tugging at it. I slapped his hand away, he retaliated by taking my katana and pining my hand to the tree with it.

"Ow" I cried, pushing back the tears, glaring at him with tear brimmed eyes.

"Sit still" he told me before pulling on the haori and revealing my wounds. I looked away in embarrassment, I'd known Sesshōmaru for 700 hundred years, but having him see me bare was still embarrassing for me. He ran his finger over one of the cuts causing it to sting.

"They're clean cuts" he commented removing the haori and letting it fall to the ground, he looked at each cut before his attention was drawn to the bite mark on my neck.

"That soldier bit me before running, does it mean something?" I asked him noticing his apparent interest in it, I was, however, clueless to the meaning of the wound.

"He marked you as his mate, such a stupid demon" he stated placing his palm on the wound and burning it with his poison claws. His statement did not surprise me, that demon seemed quite desperate to get me and the bite mark would have kept most males away, all except Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, who did not care.

"It's a shame I'm immune to your poison, huh?" I commented once he'd finished.

He brushed off the comment before releasing my hand and shoulder from the tree, "You carry medical supplies, correct?" he asked me as I dropped to the ground.

I grabbed my haori and wrapped it around myself before continuing toward the waterfall, "Of course I do, I'm not stupid."

He followed me to the stream and watched as I washed the multitude of cuts on my hand, torso, legs, and arms. I could tell he was watching me intently but I couldn't get him to leave me alone. I sat down on a rock at the water's edge and began medicating and wrapping my torso with bandages. I was successful with my belly but had difficulty with my bust and shoulder. Suddenly, the bandages were taken from me, I turned to see Sesshōmaru. I was confused by his odd behavior since last night and went to take back the bandages but he brushed my hand away.

It was very odd having him help me and sitting so close, "Have you done this before?" I asked him noticing he was doing an exceptional job of wrapping my shoulder and chest.

"Yes, for Rin when she was a child" he told me as he tied the wrappings.

"Thank you" I turned around to take back the bandages but he just grabbed my arm instead putting the ointment on the cuts and wrapping my forearms and left upper arm. I figured he wouldn't allow me to take back the ointment till he'd finished so I allowed him to finish bandaging my right hand and left thigh. I watched as he wrapped the bandages carefully wondering what kind of injures Rin could have possible received for him to have become so good at bandaging another.

He finished and returned the medical supplies before standing and dropping mokomoko on my shoulders as I put on my haori. I looked up at him confused by his actions. He turned and headed toward the forest.

"Come" he said as he walked.

"Who said I'd go with you even though you're being kind?" I asked him.

He stopped and turned around to look at me, "You plan to fight another demon in the state you are in" he stated before turning back around. Seeing as he was planning not to give me a choice, I grabbed my katanas and scroll before following.

We soon came to a clearing where Ah-Un and Jaken were sleeping, the dragon seemed to awaken at our presence in the clearing. Ah-Un stood knocking Jaken off of him and walking toward us. Sesshōmaru picked me up and placed me on the dragon's back.

"Come, Jaken" he called to the imp demon as he began to walk toward the south.

"Lord Sesshōmaru!" Jaken exclaimed happy to see the dog daiyokai, "Wait, Lord Sesshōmaru, don't leave me again!" he yelled running to catch up to us.

I watched as the imp ran to catch up to us and picking him up and placing him on Ah-Un's back with me also once he'd caught up.

"I see you're the same as usual, Jaken" I greeted the imp demon sitting him down on the dragon's back.

"Maru! What are you doing here?" he yelled at me upset to see me there.

"He's being nice today" I told him sticking my finger in my ear to see if it was bleeding to make fun of the imp.

"Nice, my Lord Sesshōmaru is always kind, even to a lowly hanyou such as you. He is the greatest Demon Lord there has ever been!" he exclaimed smugly.

"The greatest so far" I commented to anger the imp.

"What! You should be more respectful you lowly hanyou!" he exclaimed trying to hit me. I laughed at his useless attempts.

"Aw, Jaken, what happened to when you use to call me Maru-Sama?" I teased him.

He seemed surprised by this for he jumped up and covered my mouth with his hands, "What are you talking about you silly hanyou, I would never call you such. You are not even worthy of the name Maru!" he yelled but was cut off by Sesshōmaru.

"Jaken, that is enough" Sesshōmaru told the imp not even turning around.

The imp sat down, glaring at me, I rubbed his head laughing, "It's okay, Jaken, I know you secretly like me" I laughed rubbing his head, knocking his hat off.

He brushed my hand away, fixing his hat he mumbled, "Yeah, right."

* * *

We traveled till dark when we finally stopped in a tiny clearing, if you could even call it a clearing, in the forest. Jaken and I leaned against Ah-Un, they both were asleep by then and Sesshōmaru had wandered off somewhere. I stared at the fire.

"Hush now, sweet child,

Sleep now, don't cry.

Deep in the forest, I watch over you

In my warm embrace.

Lay down your head, and rest your tired eyes." I stopped and looked around the clearing before turning back to stare at the fire once again.

"Here it's safe, here it's warm.

Here I guard you from every harm.

Here your dreams are sweet and the sun will rise in the morn.

Here is where I love you."

"Deep in the forest, hidden far away,

A ray of sun, a moonbeam ray,

Forget your pain and lay down your troubles.

And when morn come again, they will be gone."

"Here it's safe, here it's warm.

Here I guard you from every harm.

Here your dreams are sweet and the sun will rise in the morn.

Here is where I love you."

"Deep in the forest, hidden far away,

A ray of sun, a moonbeam ray,

Forget your pain and lay down your troubles.

And when morn come again, they will be gone." I sang the old lullaby I'd always known, yet knew not where it came.

"You still sing that lullaby?" Sesshōmaru asked drawing my attention to the tree he sat under.

"Yes, whenever I'm in a tight spot, it's been awhile since you've heard, correct?" I asked him.

"Yes" he stated, "Sing it again."

"Huh?" I questioned him confused by his request.

"You have a beautiful voice, sing it again" he stated his eyes closed as if he was going to sleep himself.

I nodded, ""Hush now, sweet child,

Sleepnow, don't cry.

Deep in the forest, I watch over you..."

* * *

I awoke the next morning to see Sesshōmaru already up and ready to leave, sun just peeking over the horizon. I awoke Jaken and Ah-Un and we were off heading southwest, most likely toward Sesshōmaru's castle. I'd only ever been there once, when I'd been captured by some of his guards while human, it wasn't the most pleasant visit since it ended with us fighting with each other, though that was long ago. I'd noticed Sesshōmaru had changed much after having met Rin and even after her death he was still changing.

"Rin's death anniversary is coming up I should go see her again this year, he'll definitely go. It's hard to believe she's been dead for over one hundred years. He'll definitely bring white chrysanthemums again, he always does, I'll bring her a mixture of white lilies, lotus, and chrysanthemum, she liked all of those flowers, well, she liked all flowers...but she liked those the most, yes" I thought as we entered the western lands.

We were crossing a meadow, when I caught wind of fox demons. I knew Sesshōmaru noticed because he stopped, I summoned one of my katana and prepared myself, it was my battle after all. I'd regained some of my power but my wounds prevented it from returning completely. I clutched the hilt as I saw them charge out from the woods.

* * *

**Sesshōmaru **

* * *

I removed Bakusaiga from its sheath upon seeing the demon soldiers charge at us, but as the tip of Bakusaiga was removed from my obi, Maru had jumped off Ah-Un and was charging toward the soldiers. I was surprised by her sudden movement, I watched for a moment as she killed close to ten soldiers in one swing. I watched until I caught the scent of the fox demon who had marked Maru yesterday.

I saw him going straight for Maru, I took action, catching his blade with my own and bumping backs with Maru, she gave me a glance before returning to battle. I battled the demon until Maru had killed all of his comrades. She knocked him to the ground and pinned his hands and legs down with her katanas, forcing him to lay on his stomach.

"It seems I wasn't very clear last time, you have the honor of being the second messenger, aren't you so happy?" she told the man in a bitter, sweet tone.

"Hime-Sama, please, I love you so. Why won't you return with me?" he asked her as she cut off his armor and haori with a dagger.

"Oh, is that why you bit me? I should kill you for that, who said I wanted to be your mate!" she told him as she began to carve a message into his back.

"She is quite the cruel hanyou, isn't she?" I thought as I watched her.

"Now, when you return to Inari, be sure to show him your back, okay?" she said pulling his head up by his hair.

"Yes, Hime-Sama, as you wish" he said smirking.

She looked pissed by this and shoved his head into the dirt, "Also tell him I will never marry you or anyone he wishes me to, this includes mating! I will also never return to the north or to him, no matter what. He shall leave me be, understand?" she asked him as she healed the message on his back causing it to scar.

She pulled his head up once again to hear his answer, "Yes, Maru-Hime" he told her. She seemed to like his answer and laid his head down more gently than before and got up removing the blades from his body slowly causing him much pain.

"Now, go!" she demanded after removing the last blade. He got up and began to walk.

"May I have my katana, Hime-Sama?" he asked her after taking a few steps.

"You don't need it, now go" she told him as she walked over to Ah-Un.

"Yes, Hime-Sama" he said before running toward the north.

"She is a very cruel woman" I thought before continuing on.

* * *

**Maru**

* * *

By sunset we had finally arrived at the large feudal castle. I was shown to my room, it was a large, formal guest room. Everything I looked at seemed to beg me to break it. Such a luxurious room for someone like me who normally slept in caves and on the earth's soil. I could smell Sesshōmaru's scent emitting from the next room. I took this as a sign that his room was next door. I guess he wished to make sure I didn't do anything to cause trouble.

Being in the room, actually in building which Sesshōmaru also lived reminded me of my childhood, back when Sesshōmaru and I actually liked each other. Though we use to get along I remember fighting often especially when I braided his hair, or dressed him in flowers, or girl's clothing whenever he slept. It'd been so long since we'd been able to talk so casually, it'd been hundreds of years since we had anything to do with each other truthfully.

"Why did we grow so far apart? Was it really my training that caused the distance?" I thought as I opened the shoji leading out to an engawa overlooking a nihon teien.

I sat down on the cedar planks which made up the engawa, my feet hanging over the edge, dangling over the soft grasses below. I leaned back on my unwounded hand and listened to the birds sing their songs of a spring night. The sweet tunes were soon interrupted by the patter of Jaken's feet as he walked down the hall toward the room, I groaned knowing he was coming here, I could tell by how he was walking, I laid down on my back and gazed at the multitude of twinkling lights. The imp demon entered the room as I rolled over onto my stomach to meet eyes with his large yellow orbs upon his entrance.

"Good evening, Jaken, to what do I owe this pleasant visit?" I asked the imp demon, who held a bundle of fabric in his arms.

The imp demon scurried over and urged me to get up, "You must bath and change out of those tattered clothes, Maru-Sama, you look like a filthy courtesan" Jaken told me as he pulled at my haori the best he could without dropping the bundle in his arms.

"Will you come in with me Jaken, bathing alone is boring and lonesome" I told the imp grabbing his arm and pulling him down onto the floor with me, causing him to drop his bundle. He let out a screech at the sudden action, I giggled at his reaction as I tickled the imp, erecting laughter from him.

"That is enough, you are not a child; you can bathe alone" I looked up to see Sesshōmaru standing in the door way in his normal outfit minus his armor.

I pouted and let the imp go, Jaken pulled himself together and quickly gathered the garments he'd dropped, "It was just a joke, you know" I told Sesshōmaru as I pouted, having had my fun ended. Sesshōmaru glanced at me before entering the room and pulling me up.

"Hey!" I exclaimed as he pulled open my haori to reveal the blood soaked bandages hidden beneath the blue fabric.

"You've been hiding it" he commented, "Such a stupid thing to hide" he stated before picking me up and taking the fabric from Jaken.

"My Lord!" Jaken called after us as he carried me out of the room.

"Jaken find her bandages and ointment" Sesshōmaru commanded the imp demon not bothering to turn to the small demon.

"Yes, my Lord!" Jaken exclaimed as he scurried around the room in search of the named items.

"I can walk" I stated in hopes of being put down.

"I am aware of that" Sesshōmaru stated as he continued on in taking me to his planned destination.

I sighed and decided to leave it at that despite how annoying it was to be carried, especially by Sesshōmaru. We soon came to shoji that emitted the smell of healing herbs from the interior of the room it hid behind it. Sesshōmaru opened the door to reveal a stone pool, the contents were that of a medicinal bath water, two servants stood by a pot which they were using to heat the water. He ordered the servants to leave before closing the shoji behind them. He sat me down on the warm stone edge of the pool and cut off the bandages and clothing concealing me with his claws. I was about to protest but he finished and pushed me backwards into the water.

I planned to yell at him once I surfaced, but upon breaking the surface I came to see him shirtless and untying his hakamas. I gasped and sunk back down into the water, he turned and gave me an odd look. I stared at his hands which held the strings of his sashinuki hakama.

"What are you doing?" I asked him as I backed away to the farthest corner of the pool.

He continued untying his hakamas, "You said you did not wish to bathe alone" he stated as he finished untying his hakamas. I turned around and faced the back of the room.

"It was only a joke, I am not a child; I can bathe by myself, I only wished to tease Jaken" I told him as I heard the surface of the water being disturbed by another body, I couldn't help but tense. I hadn't been close to a person since the death of Rin, which was close to one hundred years ago, it had been even longer since I'd bathed with another.

"What makes you nervous, I've no reason to attack you?" he asked a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Nervous, who's nervous, not I!" I exclaimed turning around to come face to chest with Sesshōmaru. I was surprised by his presence and tried to back away, only to be stopped by the wall of the pool I'd already backed myself into.

I heard him chuckle at my action, something I'd never seen him do, I looked up to see a smile on his face, another sight I'd never seen on him since childhood; "You laughed, do it again?" I asked him in surprise.

Upon saying this his usual composure returned, he looked down at me, "Don't ask such inane questions" he told me before grabbing my arm and pulling me up onto the pool's ledge.

I scoffed at his statement as he examined the wounds, his fingertips ran over the wounds causing them to slightly sting, "There was poison on the blade" he stated pulling away a green goo on his hand.

"Huh?" I gasped looking down at the wounds, they had been clean before he put the ointment on them, "That bastard, he plans to weaken me with such an underhand tactic, making a poison that reacts with my medicine. I'll kill him next time" I stated before proceeding to dig out all the poison with my claws.

I was stopped by him as he looked at the wound, "The more you mess with it the deeper it goes into your wounds, you don't know what it'll do if you continue" Sesshōmaru stated as he observed the green substance.

"Whatever it is, it won't kill me and leaving it be won't help me" I protested but he pinned my hands behind my back, and dug his poison claws into the wound on my chest. A burning sensation erupted with the contact of his claws with the green substance, my heart beat increased as the burning sensation traveled throughout my body. I bit down on my lip and buried my head in his shoulder, it was unusual for me to feel pain outside my human form and the day after my transformation, but I had a gut feeling the poison had some sort of effect on my nervous system and enhanced my receptors. I let out a sigh of relief when his claws exited the wound and the burn slowly faded.

This relief, however, only lasted for a moment before his claws entered into another wound, "Please stop this" I demanded gripping at the inu yokai's shoulder and drawing blood with my claws. He grunted at the sensation of having his own skin penetrated but continued with his administrations.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally finished with the act of burning my wounds, I was panting heavily but grateful for it to have finally ended. The want to sleep was evident as I loosened my grip on the shoulder I had mutilated. I felt like I was in some sort of a trance, I felt like my body was being lifted and placed into a warm liquid, however, it did not feel like I was resting on stone but instead against the warmth of another body.

* * *

Another body…

* * *

I came to my senses, snapping my head up and pushing my torso away from the warmth I was leaning against, Sesshōmaru came into my field of view. I went to leave but I was pulled back down into the water. I looked at Sesshōmaru but he just continued his soak, leaning against the stone wall of the pool with his eyes closed. I determined that I was not allowed to leave and settled down against the wall next to him.

"Why are you being kind to me, you've not acknowledged me in four hundred years, have you nothing else to do?" I asked him confused by his actions the past few days. I turned to see his expression, he hadn't even bothered to open his eyes and his face remained the same as it always was.

I sighed giving up on getting an answer from him, "You're worse than your father when it comes to not answering questions" I stated sinking deeper into the water.

"My father has nothing to do with my behavior" he stated glancing at me.

"You act just like him" I commented leaning my head back into the water.

"You are the same, though you've much worse a temper" he commented closing his eyes dismissing the conversation.

"A temper, huh…"

"Lord Sesshōmaru, I've the items you requested…" Jaken exclaimed as he entered through the shoji with the bandages and ointment and another bundle of fabric, which seemed to be one of Sesshōmaru's kimonos and hakamas. His face immediately dropped at the scene before him, "Lord Sesshomaru, Maru-Sama…" he began in a confused tone before passing out.

"Jaken, don't be so dramatic" I told the imp as I exited the pool and went to check on the imp demon. I pulled him up and he was limp in my hands, I shook him trying to wake him but he was out like a watered fire. The ointment, bandages, and fabric was picked up by Sesshomaru. I looked up at him as he stood over us.

"Leave him be and come dress your wounds" he told me. I laid Jaken against the wall, I stood and held my arms above my head.

"What are you doing?" he asked me.

"Making you take care of me" I stated, he gave an amused smirk before wrapping my torso.

"Are you taking advantage of this situation, or are you making a fool of me?" he asked as he wrapped the wounds leaving the ointment out of the mixture.

"Both" I stated.

* * *

So, this is it. :) This is the first chapter of my first published fanfiction, which I've been brooding over for a long time. I wrote this story quite a while back, but I never published it on here since I wanted to finish it before posting it, but seeing as I haven't worked on it in so long, I decided I'd motivate myself by posting it.

By the way, now that you've read the first chapter, while you wait for the next you can check out the profile I made on the InuYasha Fanon Wikia when I started writing this story! You can check it out here: wiki/Maru

Look through the profile, check out the links to it. Whatever you'd like, but I must warn you, there are spoilers, but not too many I don't think. :P Anyways, review if you'd like, I would love the feedback, and I hope you enjoy the story as much as I do. Good night! :*


End file.
